Engine



Feb. 16, 1943.

s. c. RAYBON v ENGINE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 o wt o Qt OQTO ATTOR N EYS Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNETED ST ENGINE Sidney (l ltaybon, Dawson, Ga.

Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,410 5 Claims. -(oi.123-51) My invention relates tointernal combustion engines, and hasamong its objects and advantages the provision of an improved enginewherein two oppositely travelling pistons operate in each cylinder,together with a novel valve arrangement and actuating means therefor.

In'the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the invention;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view;

Figure 4 is an end View illustrating the manner in which the twoparallel crankshafts are operatively connected to a common power takeoffshaft;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view illustrating one of the valvemounts; and

Figure 6 is a view taken from the position indicated by line 6-6 ofFigure 5.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, the enginecomprises two parallel crank cases l interconnected by a cylinder block[2 provided with a plurality of horizontal cylinder bores I4 lying in acommon plane. For an engine designed for mounting in automobiles ortrucks, the chassis frame members l6 provide supports for the crank casefaces 16.

'Fig. 3 illustrates one of the cylinder bores l4. and two pistons 26operating therein. Each cylinder bore is provided with two opposedpistons moving simultaneously in opposite directions. Each pair ofpistons 20 is connected with a crankshaft22 in one of the crank casesID. The two crankshafts 22 lie in parallelism and each is provided witha gear 24, see Fig. 4 meshing with an idle gear 26. The two gears 26mesh with a gear 28 keyed to the power take-off shaft 36; which shaft isprovided with the usual flywheel 32, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Gears 24,26 and 26 are enclosed in a housing 34.

The power take-off shaft 36 is operatively connected with the twocrankshafts22 through the medium of the two sets of gears 24 and 26.'While Fig. 2 illustrates the engine as embodying six cylinders, thepresent invention is equallywell adapted to engines embodying a greateror'less number of cylinders. The firing order of the engine may be inconformity with standardpractice. One of the crankshafts 22 is providedwith a gear 36 meshing with a gear 38 which drives a cam shaft 46through the medium of which the intake and exhaust valves are actuated.

According to Figs. 2 and 3, the intake valves 42are aligned in astraight row lengthwise of the engine block and along the top thereof,.while the exhaust valves 44 arealigned axially underneath the intakevalves in a straight row depending from the bottom of the engine block.Fig. illustrates the specific construction of one of the intake valves42. The valve stem 46 is slidably guided in the bore 46 ofthe guidemember 56, which guidememberis provided with a tapered end 52 pressedagainst the face of a tapered bore 54 leading into the cylinder bore [4.Guide member 50 includes a passage 56 for the fuel mixture and themember is provided with a valve seat 58' arranged to be engaged by thevalve element 60 on the lower end of the stem '46.

A threaded 'bore62 is provided in the block l2 in axial alignment withthe tapered bore 54 for the reception of a nut 64 engaging the shoulder66 on the guide member 56 to press the ta,- pered end 52 firmlyagainstthe face 54 to effect a seal tight condition. Nut 64 may be splitto facilitate mounting on the guide member 56 and subsequently weldedinto a unitary structure, as at in Figure 6. A spanner wrench may beemployed for turning the nut in the bore 62.

Projecting laterallyfrom the guide member 56 is a boss 68'externallythreaded for the reception of a threaded collar 10. Between the flange12 on the end of aneck 14 projecting from the intake manifold 16 and theend of the boss 68 is positioned a gasket!!! which is firmly clamped inposition through tightening of the collar 16. Collar Ill is flanged at86 to engage a gasket 82 pressed against the outer face of the flange12. The passage 56 extends through the boss 68 and communicates with theopening in the neck 14.

Fig. 1 illustrates the intakemanifold 16 as extending longitudinally ofthe engine, and all the intake valves 42 and the exhaust valves 44 areidentical in construction with the illustration of Fig. 5. Fig. 3illustrates the location ofthe intake manifold 16 above the cylinderblock 7 l2 with the exhaust manifold -84- positioned beneath thecylinder block and verticallyaligned with the intake manifold 16. a i pIn Fig, 5, a shoulder 86-isformed on the guide member 56 to constitutean abutmentfor the valve spring 68 abutting the washer 96 keyed to thevalve stem 46 Since the exhaust valve structures are identical 'withtheintake valve structures, the same reference numerals are 1' applied toboth the valve structures; In Figs. 1 and 3, the rocker arms 92for-actuating the intake valves 42' and therocker arms 94 for actuatingthe exhaust valves 44' are all aligned ina straight row above thecylinder block I2. Each ofthe rocker'armsi92 and 94 is pivotallyconnected at 96, see Fig. 3, with the bifurcated head 98 at the upperend of a vertical support I having a flange I02 bolted to the cylinderblock I2, as at I04. Each of the rocker arms 92 is actuated through themedium of a push rod I06 slidably guided in a bore I08 in a casting IIObolted at II2 to a ledge II4 formed on the cylinder block I2. Each ofthe push rods I06 is actuated through an individual cam II6 on the camshaft 40, which cam shaft is rotatably journaled in bearings II8, one ofwhich is illustrated in Fig. 3. The aligned rocker arms 92 are enclosedin a housing I20 bolted at I22 to the casting I I0 and at I24 to ahousing section I26 secured to the cylinder block I2. The intake valvestructures 42 project partly inside the housing I20 and the housingsection I26.

Fig. 3 illustrates one of the rocker arms 92 engaging the valve stem 46of the one intake valve structure 42 illustrated therein. In Fig. 2,rocker arms I28 engage the valve stems 46 of the exhaust valves 44,which rocker arms are arranged in a straight row underneath the rockerarms 92 and at right angles thereto. Each rocker arm I28 is pivotallyconnected at I30 with the bifurcated head I32 of a vertical support I34depending from the cylinder block I2 and bolted thereto, as at I36. Along verticalpush rod I38 is provided for each of the rocker arms I28,and each push rod I 38 is slidably guided in a vertical bore I40 in thecylinder block I2 and in tubular extensions I42 extending upwardly anddownwardly from the cylinder block. Thus the rocker arms I28, which arelocated underneath the cylinder block I2, are actuated through themedium of the long push rods I38 which extend upwardly for coaction withthe rocker arms 94 mounted above the cylinder block. The one cam shaft40 actuates the two sets of rocker arms 92 and 94. In arranging theintake valve structures 42 and 44 in respective groups on opposite sidesof the cylinder block I2, each group of valve structures is readilyaccessible, and the groups are axially aligned so as to functionadvantageously in connection with the firing chambers of the respectivecylinders in an engine of the two piston opposed type.

The cylinder block I2 is provided with a water jacket I44 about thegreater lengths of the cylinders I46. Each of the crank cases I0 isprovided with a plate I48 detachably secured thereto by bolts I50. Eachcase is also provided with a pan I52 detachably secured thereto byscrews I54. A housing I56 encloses the greater portions of the exhaustvalves 44, which housing is detachably secured to the cylinder block I2by screws I58. A housing I60 encloses the two gears 36 and 38, and eachcylinder I46 is provided with a spark plug I62 aligned in a row in theplane of the intake valves 42, see Fig. 2.

Having thus described certain embodiments of my invention in detail, itis, of course, understood that I do not desire to limit the scopethereof to the exact details set forth except insofar as thosedetails-may be defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having two oppositelytravelling pistons therein and coacting with the cylinder to provide acombustion chamber between the pistons, an intake valvecommunicatingflwith said combustion chamber at one side of the cylinder,an exhaust valve communicating with said combustion chamber on theopposite side of said cylinder, a cam shaft, a pair of rocker armsactuated by said cam shaft upon one side of said cylinder, one of saidrocker arms being operatively connected with one of said valves, anoperating connection extending from the other rocker arm to the oppositeside of the cylinder and operatively connected with the other of saidvalves, two parallel crankshafts respectively operatively connected withsaid pistons, a power take-off shaft, and operating connections betweenthe two crankshafts and said power take-off shaft. 2. In an internalcombustion engine, a plurality of cylinders arranged side by side andeach having two oppositely travelling pistons therein coacting withtheir respective cylinder to provide a combustion chamber between thepistons, said cylinders being connected as a unit, each cylinder havingan'intake valve communicating with the combustion chamber therein, saidintake valves being located along the same sides of the cylinders, eachcylinder having an exhaust valve communicating with its respectivecombustion chamber, said exhaust valves being located on opposite sidesof the cylinders, a cam shaft, rocker arms actuated by said cam shaftalong the same sides of the cylinders, some of the rocker arms beingoperatively connected with the intake valves, the cylinders beingprovided with guide means extending transversely of the cylinders,operating connections extending through said guide means and operativelyconnected with the other rocker arms and the exhaust valves, twoparallel crankshafts operatively connected with the two groups ofpistons, a power take-off shaft, and operating connections between thetwo crankshafts an said power take-off shaft.

3. In an internal combustion engine, an engine block having a pluralityof cylinder bores having their axes lying in a common plane, eachcylinder bore being provided with two oppositely travelling pistonscoacting with the cylinder bore to provide a combustion'chamber betweenthe two pistons, intake valves communicating with the respectivecombustion chambers and aligned along one side of said engine block,exhaust valves communicating with the respective combustion chambers andpositioned on the other side of said engine block, a cam shaft locatedalong said one side of the engine block, rocker arms aligned along saidone side of the engine block and actuated by said cam shaft, certain ofsaid rocker arms being operatively connected with said intake valves,said engine block being provided with guide openings, operatingconnections extending through said guide openings'and operativelyconnecting the other rocker arms with said exhaust valves, an intakemanifold communicating with said intake valves and located along saidone side of the engine block, and an exhaust manifold communicating withthe exhaust valves and located on said other side of the engine block.

. 4. In an internal combustion engine, an engine block having aplurality of cylinder bores having their axes lying in'a common plane,eachcylinder bore being provided with two oppositely travelling pistonscoacting with the cylinder bore to provide a combustion chamber betweenthe two pistons, intake valves communicating with the respectivecombustion chambers and aligned along one side of said engine block,exhaust valves communicating with the respective combustion chambers andpositioned on the other side of said engine block, a cam shaft locatedalong said one side of the engine block, rocker arms aligned along saidone side of the engine block and actuated by said cam shaft, certain ofsaid rocker arms being operatively connected with said intake valves,said engine block being provided with guide openings, operatingconnections extending through said guide openings and operatively con--necting the other rocker arms with said exhaust valves, said cylinderbores having their axes 1ying in a common horizontal plane, said intakevalves being located on the top side of the engine block, and saidexhaust valves being located on the bottom side of the engine block.

5. In an internal combustion engine, an engine block having a pluralityof cylinder bores having their axes lying in a common plane, eachcylinder bore being provided with two oppositely travelling pistonscoacting with the cylinder bore to provide a combustion chamber betweenthe two pistons, intake valves communicating with the respectivecombustion chambers and aligned along one side of said engine block,exhaust valves communicating with the respective com-' bustion chambersand positioned on the otherside of said engine block, a cam shaftlocated: along said one side of the engine block, rocker arms alignedalong said one side of the engine" block and actuated by said cam shaft,certain of said rocker arms being operatively connected with said intakevalves, said engine block being provided with guide openings, operatingconnections extending through said guide openings 7

